You are here

Blue Eyed Brown Eyed Experiment

Description: On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. On April 5, 1968, Jane Elliott found herself faced with explaining the civil rights movement to a group of white third-graders in Iowa who had never seen a black person except on television. Elliott taught the children about prejudice through a class exercise in which the students were divided between blue-eyed and brown-eyed children. On the first day of the exercise, she treated the blue-eyed children as superior, giving them extra privileges, and insulting the brown-eyed children. On the following day, April 6, the same division was made, but this time, Elliott treated the brown-eyed children as superior, while putting down the blue-eyed children. The class exercise caught national attention and caused a heated controversy over the ethics of putting such young children through the artificial experience of racism.Show more

Browse Experiment - 14 results

This series presents the techniques of renowned diversity trainer Jane Elliott, which are based on her blue-eyed/brown-eyed experiments. It includes a trainer’s version that covers current applications of her technique.

This series presents the techniques of renowned diversity trainer Jane Elliott, which are based on her blue-eyed/brown-eyed experiments. It includes a trainer’s version that covers current applications of her technique.

Discriminating against others on the basis of their eye colour: it's an experiment to illustrate racism that's reverberated around the world ever since it was first used in a small-town American classroom over 40 years ago. The woman behind the 'Brown Eyes, Blue Eyes' exercise is Jane Elliott, and she's in Austral...

Discriminating against others on the basis of their eye colour: it's an experiment to illustrate racism that's reverberated around the world ever since it was first used in a small-town American classroom over 40 years ago. The woman behind the 'Brown Eyes, Blue Eyes' exercise is Jane Elliott, and she's in Australia to continue her work at a conference in Fremantle. And if you think she might be taking it easier nowadays you'd be wrong. Jane Elli...Discriminating against others on the basis of their eye colour: it's an experiment to illustrate racism that's reverberated around the world ever since it was first used in a small-town American classroom over 40 years ago. The woman behind the 'Brown Eyes, Blue Eyes' exercise is Jane Elliott, and she's in Australia to continue her work at a conference in Fremantle. And if you think she might be taking it easier nowadays you'd be wrong. Jane Elliott says the fight against racism is far from over.
Show more
Show less

written by American Psychological Association (2013, originally published 2013), Source: www.apa.org

"Privilege Exercise (Arnie Kahn, adapted from Peggy McIntosh)
Have students stand in a straight line (quite close together) and request that
they hold hands with the person on either side of them for as long as possible
and refrain from speaking during the exercise. Then ask:
If you were ever called names becau...

"Privilege Exercise (Arnie Kahn, adapted from Peggy McIntosh)
Have students stand in a straight line (quite close together) and request that
they hold hands with the person on either side of them for as long as possible
and refrain from speaking during the exercise. Then ask:
If you were ever called names because of your race, class, ethnicity, gender,
or sexual orientation, take one step back.
If your parents were professional, doctors, law..."Privilege Exercise (Arnie Kahn, adapted from Peggy McIntosh)
Have students stand in a straight line (quite close together) and request that
they hold hands with the person on either side of them for as long as possible
and refrain from speaking during the exercise. Then ask:
If you were ever called names because of your race, class, ethnicity, gender,
or sexual orientation, take one step back.
If your parents were professional, doctors, lawyers, etc., take one step forward.
If you were raised in an area where there was prostitution, drug activity, etc., take
one step back.
If you ever tried to change your appearance, mannerisms, or behavior to avoid
being judged or ridiculed, take one step back.
If there were more than 50 books in your house when you grew up, take one step
forward.
If you ever had to skip a meal or were hungry because there was not enough
money to buy food when you were growing up, take one step back.
If your parents brought you to art galleries or plays, take one step forward.
If one of your parents was unemployed or lad off, not by choice, take one
step back.
If you attended a private school or private summer camp, take one step forward.
If your family ever had to move because they could not afford the rent, take one
step back.
If you were ever discouraged from academic pursuits or jobs because of race,
class, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, take one step back.
If you were ever encouraged to attend a college by your parents, take one step
forward.
If prior to age 18, you took a vacation out of the country, take one step forward.
If one of your parents did not complete high school, take one step back.
If your family owned your own house, take one step forward.
If you were ever offered a good job because of your association or connection
with a friend or family member, take one step forward.
If you ever inherited money or property, take a step forward.
If you ever had to rely primarily on public transportation, take one step back.
If you were generally able to avoid places that were dangerous, take one step
forward.
If your parents told you that you could be anything you wanted to be, take one
step forward."
Show more
Show less

In this classroom activity, the instructor divides students into small groups and gives each group some pages with dialogue between a female and male. There are two versions of this dialogue, although the instructor does not disclose this information at first. One version contains the dialogue as it was originally...

In this classroom activity, the instructor divides students into small groups and gives each group some pages with dialogue between a female and male. There are two versions of this dialogue, although the instructor does not disclose this information at first. One version contains the dialogue as it was originally published, and the other reverses the gender of the speakers. After handing out dialogue excerpts to each group, I give students 10 mi...In this classroom activity, the instructor divides students into small groups and gives each group some pages with dialogue between a female and male. There are two versions of this dialogue, although the instructor does not disclose this information at first. One version contains the dialogue as it was originally published, and the other reverses the gender of the speakers. After handing out dialogue excerpts to each group, I give students 10 minutes or so to read the dialogue and discuss their impressions of the two characters. Most groups choose to read the dialogue out loud, assigning the speaking roles to different group members. Once the groups have finished this part of the activity, I ask all students to write down their impressions of the dialogue characters (this written record prevents students from changing their impressions in response to their peers during later class discussions) Next, I ask each group to tell me something about the characters. This discussion typically reveals very different impressions depending on which of the two dialogues students read. For instance, a group with the original version might view the man in the dialogue "calm and rational" and the woman as "emotional yet strong," but a group with the reversed dialogue might view the man as "whiney, clingy, and manipulative" and the woman as "cold and uninterested in him." Once a few students have offered their impressions, I reveal that there are two versions of the dialogue. At this point, I invite students to take another 10 minutes with their group and discuss whether their impressions of the characters would be different if the genders were reversed from what the group read earlier. In the last phase of the activity, I hold a class discussion in which students talk about any gender biases they encountered or displayed, where these biases come from, whether the biases are harmful, and how best to reduce biases if indeed they are harmful.
Show more
Show less

"Concept: This activity highlights the influence of institutional factors in prejudice. Students experience the ways in which
differences in socioeconomic status can affect personal behavior.
Materials: 4-6 sets of office supplies, with each set containing more supplies than the last.
Example:
o Set 1: two piece...

"Concept: This activity highlights the influence of institutional factors in prejudice. Students experience the ways in which
differences in socioeconomic status can affect personal behavior.
Materials: 4-6 sets of office supplies, with each set containing more supplies than the last.
Example:
o Set 1: two pieces of brown construction paper, a pencil, and a wire coat hanger
o Set 2: two pieces of construction paper (any color), a pen, a pencil,..."Concept: This activity highlights the influence of institutional factors in prejudice. Students experience the ways in which
differences in socioeconomic status can affect personal behavior.
Materials: 4-6 sets of office supplies, with each set containing more supplies than the last.
Example:
o Set 1: two pieces of brown construction paper, a pencil, and a wire coat hanger
o Set 2: two pieces of construction paper (any color), a pen, a pencil, a piece of string or ribbon, and a wire
coat hanger
o Set 3: four to six pieces of construction paper (multiple colors), colored pencils, several pieces of
string/ribbon, scissors, and a plastic coat hanger
o Set 4: a pack of construction paper, colored pencils, markers, spools of string and ribbon, scissors, tape,
glue, glitter, stickers, and two plastic coat hangers.
Description: Divide students into small groups of about 4-5 students in each group. Tell the class that they will be
working in small groups to create a mobile depicting “tolerance.” They can only use the supplies they are given to make
their group’s mobile. Then, give out the sets of supplies to each group. As students work on their mobiles, float amongst
the groups praising the groups that have numerous supplies (“You all do such good work!”; “Look, everyone, at their
creative design!”; “If you need a college recommendation, just come by and see me!”) and criticize the groups that have
few supplies (“Why can’t you all do better work, like that group?”; “I don’t know why y’all even bother! This work is
terrible!”). No matter what, show preferential treatment to the “have” group and discriminatory treatment to the
“have-not” group. Once students finish their mobiles, have them present their mobiles to the class. End the simulation
after the last group presents.
Discussion: Lead the class in a discussion of what they experienced. Students in the groups tend to react similarly to
people in everyday “have/have-not” situations. Some behaviors I have noticed over the years:
o Have groups: may want to share with other groups (don’t let them do this!); often will make a horrible
mobile because they know what they make will be praised regardless; report they are happy they were
in the privileged group
o Have-not groups: decry how unfair the assignment is; may try to overachieve to prove they can succeed
in spite of the circumstances; may become argumentative; often disparage the teacher (humorously!) in
their mobile; report feelings of anger and frustration after the simulation
Ultimately, students report that they feel more empathy toward those with fewer resources after this activity. They
realize the privilege of their own situations and appreciate the influence of situational factors on behavior."
Show more
Show less

This DVD shows Jane Elliott’s blue-eyed/brown-eyed experiment set in a college environment with students from diverse racial and ethnic environments. “Fascinating...[an] important documentary,” School Library Journal. Telly Award.

This DVD shows Jane Elliott’s blue-eyed/brown-eyed experiment set in a college environment with students from diverse racial and ethnic environments. “Fascinating...[an] important documentary,” School Library Journal. Telly Award.

This historical program follows a third-grade teacher’s classroom experiment on discrimination and prejudice and demonstrates the ease with which individuals submit to discriminatory beliefs and actions. It shows how, when divided into blue-eyed and brown-eyed groups, student behavior changed dramatically based...

This historical program follows a third-grade teacher’s classroom experiment on discrimination and prejudice and demonstrates the ease with which individuals submit to discriminatory beliefs and actions. It shows how, when divided into blue-eyed and brown-eyed groups, student behavior changed dramatically based on group designation as inferior or superior. Peabody Award.

If you think 'it couldn’t happen here' or 'it wouldn’t happen now,' this may prove to be a bit of an 'Eye Opener!' Jane Elliott, the internationally acclaimed diversity champion, conducts her 'blue eyed/brown eyed' exercise in Glasgow with thirty-five volunteers from across the United Kingdom. Many of the blue...

If you think 'it couldn’t happen here' or 'it wouldn’t happen now,' this may prove to be a bit of an 'Eye Opener!' Jane Elliott, the internationally acclaimed diversity champion, conducts her 'blue eyed/brown eyed' exercise in Glasgow with thirty-five volunteers from across the United Kingdom. Many of the blue eyed participants were shocked at their own reactions to what for many of them was the new experience of being powerless. Many of the...If you think 'it couldn’t happen here' or 'it wouldn’t happen now,' this may prove to be a bit of an 'Eye Opener!' Jane Elliott, the internationally acclaimed diversity champion, conducts her 'blue eyed/brown eyed' exercise in Glasgow with thirty-five volunteers from across the United Kingdom. Many of the blue eyed participants were shocked at their own reactions to what for many of them was the new experience of being powerless. Many of the brown eyed participants were shocked at how easy they found it to go along with what was happening, even though they knew it was wrong. They all now have a better understanding of the systematic nature of racism, as well as the awareness of their own actions – or inactions – can reinforce and perpetuate it. "Eye Opener" shows this exercise is as relevant and necessary in the UK today as it was in Riceville, Iowa more than forty years ago.
Show more
Show less